Carbon nanotube films for flexible electronics

Tezcan Ozel, Zulal

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/14765 Copy

Description

Title

Carbon nanotube films for flexible electronics

Author(s)

Tezcan Ozel, Zulal

Issue Date

2010-01-06T17:50:12Z

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Rogers, John A.

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Rogers, John A.

Department of Study

Materials Science & Engineering

Discipline

Materials Science & Engr

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.S.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

• Nanotube
• Network
• Macrofilms
• Nanotube films
• Flexible electronics
• Flexible nanotube

Abstract

Discovering scalable routes to fabricate large scale electronic devices on flexible substrates has been the goal of the newly emerging field of flexible macroelectronics. Thin film transistors (TFTs) have been fabricated on flexible substrates by using organic small-molecule and polymer-based materials, or thin layers of crystalline inorganic semiconductors. Recently, films of carbon nanotubes have been proposed as electronic materials with superior electrical performance due to exceptional electrical and mechanical properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). In this thesis, some aspects of recent research efforts on integrating arrays of carbon nanotubes into macroelectronic devices are described. Carbon nanotube films have two major uses for flexible macroelectronics. The first approach uses carbon nanotube thin films as active semiconducting materials in the channel of flexible TFTs. Even though, high-performance carbon nanotube thin film transistors have been realized, the electronic non-homogeneity of the as-grown carbon nanotubes in the film limits the device performance for some applications. In this thesis, the application of electrochemical functionalization on carbon nanotube films to improve the electronic homogeneity of the film is described. The effect of the crystal quartz substrates on the growth rate of carbon nanotubes, and whether this can be used to sort out as-grown carbon nanotubes by electronic type is also discussed. Finally, I argue that high density carbon nanotube films can also be used as highly conducting stretchable interconnects on mechanically flexible electronic circuits. The sheet resistance and the nature of the buckling of carbon nanotube films on flexible substrates are discussed.

Graduation Semester

2009-12

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/14765

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2009 Zulal Tezcan Ozel

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